You are here

Growing Mushrooms

Find a dark spot at your place to cultivate this popular nutritional powerhouse in just a few weeks.

Cheryl Maddocks

They may be small in size, but mushrooms are big on nutritional benefits.

With virtually no sodium or fat, they’re cholesterol free, contain the B vitamins niacin and riboflavin, and are a good source of dietary fibre.

Tasty and versatile, they’re used raw or cooked in a number of ways.

More than 85% of Australian households purchase fresh mushrooms on a regular basis. According to the Australian Mushroom Growers’ Association, they are the second most valuable fresh vegetable crop grown in this country after potatoes.

Mushrooms can be grown at home without any special equipment, and you don’t need a garden as you can use a kit and cultivate them indoors.

To grow white button and Swiss brown mushrooms indoors, just add water and keep the kit in a dark, moist spot. The spore of the more exotic oyster and shiitake can be grown on a mushroom board, wood or straw.

Depending on the variety, you can be harvesting mushrooms in three to five weeks’ time.